High-tech shrimp farmer Atarraya is working with a partner in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to pilot its production system there, which, if successful, could lead to a large-scale deployment as food security moves up the agenda in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. The move reflects the evolution of the company’s business model toward an asset-light approach, scaling through partnerships with “master franchisors” in key regions or countries. While it is still producing shrimp in Mexico, its company-owned facility in Indianapolis has closed, and the New Jersey operation will become a processing hub and R&D/demo facility to showcase Atarraya’s capabilities to potential partners. As part of the new strategy, it is also exploring co-location opportunities with tomato growers in greenhouses that require similar conditions to shrimp and can use microbial biomass produced by its systems as organic fertilizer, founder Daniel Russek tells AgFunderNews. The UAE pilot The UAE talks started more than two years ago, says Russek, who is working with Silal, a company established by ADQ (Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company) to strengthen food security by diversifying food sources. “They originally reached out to us when we had the first shrimp box model [since replaced by a lower-cost, IKEA-style flat-packed ‘air shrimp box’ that’s easier to ship], and at that time the economics didn’t work for them.” “But they reached back out once we announced the new version and we started with very deep due diligence last February. They visited our farm, hired a company specializing in…
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